to fit. Luckily, the f lat side glass was a
little more straightforward.” At present
the door windows use Perspex, though
Ross plans to swap these for glass in the
near future.LIGHT TOUCH
The rear lights are standard MkII/III,
but the front grille aperture was another
area that had now been reduced in
height. The standard grille itself could
be cut down to size, but this left the
problem of sourcing headlamps that
would not only fit but look the part too.
“Luckily after an age of searching I
spotted these aftermarket rectangular
Hella headlamps online,” Ross tells us,
“after some careful measuring they were
found to be the perfect size and suit the
Sprint style front end too.”
Ross also carried out the respray at
home in his garage. The period Arctic
White colour chosen is 1970’s BMC andmore commonly used on Range Rovers.
Ross had already bought the Cobra
classic GT seats some time ago. “We also
wanted a rear seat though it was
doubtful anyone could actually sit in it,”
Ross explains, “the door panels and rear
seat needed to be cut down to size and Jo
retrimmed them to match the front seats
in a diamond pattern and cord in black,
she did a great job.” The remainder of
the interior is also impressive. The late
model six-clock dash repainted in deep
blue contrasts well with the array of
cream clocks and gauges. Vinyl trimmed
dash pads also add to the overall effect
while a stainless steering column
bracket, alloy steering wheel and alloy
furniture complement each other well.It may have taken Ross almost a
decade to complete his ambitious
project, but considering there aren’t any
manuals available to tell you the best
way to take five inches out of a Mini, he’s
done an impressive job for sure. And he’s
already begun his follow up project, a
1967 MkIII Wolseley Hornet, though
this one is likely to remain standard.
Ross did mention he’d yet to come across
a Sprinted Wolseley Elf or Riley Hornet
though, so watch this space!“It’s a gentle upgrade rather than
a full custom”
THANKS TO:
Mini Spares (York and Huddersfield)
MiniSportIt’s not only the body which has had
height removed, both the doors and
boolid have been customised.tofit.Luckily,thef latsideglasswasa
littlemorestraightforward.”Atpresent
thedoorwindowsusePerspex,though
Rossplanstoswaptheseforglassinthe
nearfuture.
LIGHTTOUCH
TherearlightsarestandardMkII/III,
butthefrontgrilleaperturewasanother
areathathadnowbeenreducedin
height.Thestandardgrilleitselfcould
becutdowntosize,butthisleftthe
problemofsourcingheadlampsthat
wouldnotonlyfitbutlooktheparttoo.
“LuckilyafteranageofsearchingI
spottedtheseaftermarketrectangular
Hellaheadlampsonline,”Rosstellsus,
“aftersomecarefulmeasuringtheywere
foundtobetheperfectsizeandsuitthe
Sprintstylefrontendtoo.”
Rossalsocarriedouttheresprayat
homeinhisgarage.TheperiodArctic
Whitecolourchosenis 1970’sBMCand
morecommonlyusedonRangeRovers.
RosshadalreadyboughttheCobra
classicGTseatssometimeago.“Wealso
wanteda rearseatthoughit was
doubtfulanyonecouldactuallysitinit,”
Rossexplains,“thedoorpanelsandrear
seatneededtobecutdowntosizeandJo
retrimmedthemtomatchthefrontseats
ina diamondpatternandcordinblack,
shedida greatjob.”Theremainderof
theinterioris alsoimpressive.Thelate
modelsix-clockdashrepaintedindeep
bluecontrastswellwiththearrayof
creamclocksandgauges.Vinyltrimmed
dashpadsalsoaddtotheoveralleffect
whilea stainlesssteeringcolumn
bracket,alloysteeringwheelandalloy
furniturecomplementeachotherwell.It mayhavetakenRossalmosta
decadetocompletehisambitious
project,butconsideringtherearen’tany
manualsavailabletotellyouthebest
waytotakefiveinchesoutofa Mini,he’s
doneanimpressivejobforsure.Andhe’s
alreadybegunhisfollowupproject,a
1967 MkIIIWolseleyHornet,though
thisoneis likelytoremainstandard.
Rossdidmentionhe’dyettocomeacross
a SprintedWolseleyElforRileyHornet
though,sowatchthisspace!“It’s a gentle upgrade rather than
a full custom”
THANKS TO:
Mini Spares (York and Huddersfield)
MiniSportIt’s not only the body which has had
height removed, both the doors and
boolid have been customised.